


Mirror

by TheSeelieCourtJester



Series: Black Rose Coven [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Black Rose Yusei, Body Horror, Dark, F/M, Forbidden Love, Murder, Psychic Abilities, Psychic Violence, Psychological Horror, Serial killer Jaden, Serial killer Yusei, Witches, coven - Freeform, serial killer akiza, serial killer alexis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-21 12:06:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9548354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSeelieCourtJester/pseuds/TheSeelieCourtJester
Summary: Akiza Izinski is a young woman who has everything; friends, a loving family, as well as a world she could call her own. The bad guys were beaten down, and justice reigns, as it always shall. But when fragments of a broken past come crashing back together, what's to stop her world from eroding away? The sequel to "Fragments."





	1. Dream

**Author's Note:**

> -Hello, I am the Seelie Court Jester and I do not own Yu-gi-oh 5Ds. This story is a sequel to "Fragments".

She walked through the gardens, both hands at her side, as she took in the loveless flowers surrounding her. Golden eyes surveyed the almost enchanting atmosphere, all the while endeavoring to decipher whatever trickery might be near. Silky, burgundy hair swept across her collarbone, though her dark sleeves contrasted to the light around her. A velvet coat cascaded down her body, and a strict, narrow corset wrapped around her already tiny waist. The noise her red pumps made resounded through her ears, as she continued with her trek. Her lips pursed in confusion, though in the end, she allowed the scenery to take her mind off her unreadable, but somehow troubling thoughts.

Twisted thorns bent out of existence, and luscious petals kept on with their majesty. Tiny, shimmering dew coated the grass, though the leaves covered their nostalgic reflection. Morning skies soared above, giving the gardens a somewhat peaceful aura, however false it might've been. Red and white swirled around her, beckoning her to come and lay in those flowers, tempting her to fall into the fatigue reality had given her; traces of black and grey were yet to be seen, and even amorous shadows faded from that dream.

"Akiza?"

That young woman stopped. She turned, the confusion immediately fading from her face. A small smile tugged at her lips, as her sophisticated demeanor melted away. She recognized that voice. "Hey," she replied.

"What'd you think of the gardens?"

"It's nice, quiet," Akiza said softly, as she looked down at her shoes. A slight blush came on her cheeks, and though she tried shaking it away, in the end the scarlet was still there. "I ah…I really like the roses. They're nice…"

"You know, they aren't all roses."

She blinked. Carefully, she looked up, at the shadows, at the flowers, at her own, dying silhouettes. Silence shrouded her, the same silence which brought her that evanescent peace, the same silence that came before her time and time again; peaceful, weary, restful, everything she could've possibly imagined in that deformed, yet comfortable silence. Everything and nothing was said simultaneously, as her own, helpless will hid away from even the slightest disturbance. Her innocence refused to fade, as she pondered on that statement.

Out from the corner of her eyes, she caught sight of a stray bulb blooming in the distance. When she squinted, she blushed harder, and turned sideways, mentally trying to remedy her mistake. She kept stammering, kept stuttering, endeavoring to, at the very least, apologize for her erroneous compliment.

But as she kept going with her hopeless correction, one by one, she caught sight of more of those strays. Roses bled out their red, and other flowers took their place, the petals quietly descending throughout the gardens. Graceless elegance turned to barren formalities, as each flower unraveled, producing an unfamiliar, almost bizarre looking plant, one Akiza had no knowledge of.

And yet, for some reason, her lips kept moving. She felt herself smile at the vague notion, and turned back. "Spider-lilies."

"Right. Did you know they were actually amaryllises?"

"What?"

"They are. Spider-lilies and amaryllises are apart of the same family. They may not look it, but it's true."

Akiza cocked her head, as she stared at the flowers. A distant expression came across her face, as she took in the statement, trying to recall the fact from her seemingly dark mind. "I didn't know that," she murmured quietly.

"Say, Akiza."

"What is it?"

"How do you feel? About amaryllises?"

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

_Why?_

Red, velvet bangs fell toward her half-opened eyes. With one hand, she wiped whatever drool was on her face, while the other made a half-hearted attempt to cover said face. Slowly, she sat up, rubbing away the sleep that stubbornly lodged in her gaze, as she turned her attention to the clock. It only took a second before she broke out into a smile. Only ten minutes left.

Subtly, Akiza gazed around the classroom, her golden orbs surveying her fellow peers, her ears taking in whatever stray words floated aimlessly in the air. The teacher was busily chatting on the phone, talking about that free trip to Italy she'd won over a radio contest, while her classmates gathered around their regular cliques, trying to come up with something exciting to do over the weekend. Some were trying to drag their friends into a few harmless pranks, some vibrantly bragging about the latest of their future plans, whether that be college, a job, studying abroad. Akiza simply shook her head, and returned to the empty space in front of her .

She tugged at her sleeves, her red blazer comfortably nestled along her torso. She pulled at her dark, navy blue skirt, as she, once again, stared up at the clock.

Eight minutes.

The dull sunlight felt warm against her hand. Already she could feel her fatigue lulling her back to sleep, though Akiza ignored it.  She yawned slightly, as she pulled her attention to the front of the classroom, rereading the homework assignments for the weekend.

"Aki!"

She gasped. She quickly turned, only to find a girl, around three years younger, standing right beside her desk. She blinked. "What're you doing? Class isn't even over yet."

"Teacher let us out early," Alexis whispered happily.

"So?"

"Jaden had to go somewhere."

Akiza blinked again. "Really?"

"You know that really big news station, in downtown Neo Domino?"

"No."

"Well, he was invited over there for an interview," she continued, brushing aside Akiza's confused expression, as she plopped herself across from her. "Says if I went there with him, I might as well have just burned down the whole station."

"I'm…not surprised-"

"So, until that's over with, I'm with you!" she concluded finally, as she laid her head down.

Akiza couldn't help but chuckle at the younger girl's antics. Dark blond hair cascaded down her shoulders, and wide, warm caramel eyes kept taking in the colors around her, trying to memorize each and every shade that came her way. Her creamy, clear complexion matched her perfectly, considering all that time she spent outside. Out of everyone at the Academy, people considered her to be the school idol; Alexis knew everyone thought of her that way, so she composed herself as such. An intelligent, sophisticated young woman, on her way to the Pro-Leagues, or college, or wherever she decided to go; in the end no one suspected of her as anything more than that. It was only around Akiza did she reveal her real character; a bubbly girl who, though still smart, was incredibly naive, more so than any child Akiza had ever known.

The same could be said of Jaden Yuuki, her boyfriend/partner-in-crime/warden, though he was a bit less innocent. Chestnut hair, with dark, brown eyes, and a look that seemed like he knew more than he was letting on; unlike Alexis, his gazes never really bothered with the light-filled colors around him. Though he wasn't as popular, in a way, he did have his own small band of followers, students who fell for the same act that nearly half the school had with Alexis. In his portrayal, the character he followed was a carefree slacker who couldn't care less about worries and whatnot, instead spending his time on winning and anything non-school related. It wasn't at all the case, but Akiza never really called him out for it; it'd only serve to piss him off.

Akiza stared at the blonde for a brief moment, then laughed. "Wow."

"Hmm?"

"No fight?"

"Nope."

"Nothing?"

"No."

Akiza smirked, scrutinized Alexis. "Should I believe that?"

"…Sure?"

She smirked. Considering everything the couple put her through, it really was hard to believe. Ever since those two came to the Academy, never once did Akiza ever seem them apart. Then again, that might've just added to their charm; their characters did provide a good contrast to one another. It was that very contrast that attracted everyone to begin with, those stereotypes that, somehow, made the two stand out. Gradually, they did open up some of their shallow secrets to their audience, no matter how nosy they seemed, or even how rude. It was as if during that time, there was nothing that could be said about them, about any of them.

Still, Akiza knew that the two carried their secrets. Even as they talked with the other students, they always seemed to hold back. Whenever one fell silent, the other always jumped in, covering for each other like two alibis with nothing else to do. Sometimes, they'd tell half-truths about themselves, where they came from, what they'd been doing before they came here, while other times, the stories were completely falsified. For example, if Akiza asked Alexis right now which school she came from, she would probably look up, and just give her the name of some random asylum, as she had so many other people. To this day, Akiza didn't know where she stood with the couple; on some days, it looked like they were the best of friends, while on other days, something else took over them entirely, causing them to shun her for the rest of the week. The trend was so unpredictable Akiza stopped paying it any mind.

Alexis shyly peeked up from her arms, her shoulders tensing at whatever thoughts flew through her head. Finally, she grinned, and hid herself in her arms once more. Automatically, Akiza leaned over. "What?"

Alexis shook her head.

"Come on; what is it?"

She mumbled something.

"Alexis-"

The bell rang.

The blonde quickly stood up, and grabbed Akiza's arm. She dragged her out of her seat, and immediately made a beeline for the door, carefully avoiding the curious looks they'd gotten from the rest of their classmates. "I'll tell you later!" she teased gladly, as she almost shoved Akiza out the door.

She silently groaned. Usually, whenever she said something along those lines, either one or the other got into trouble with the Public Security Bureau. That, or they got yet another student expelled. Or they might've started a nuclear war. Or they might've invited terrorists into the school, or a mass serial killer. Or they've scheduled the school of destruction later today.

'I'll tell you later' could really mean anything.

Akiza paused for a moment, before sighing, and followed the stream of bodies through the hallways, with Alexis eagerly leading. Large, glass windows reflected the bright, warm light onto her skin, while the entire city gazed up at her, the modernity of its beauty stunningly appearing along the boundary of the horizon. The tall, steel buttresses soared over her as she walked down the stairs and into the main lobby. Portraits upon portraits clung onto the walls, as students nonchalantly walk pass by, the figures' lifeless eyes taking in the reality drifting lazily from them. Tall, plastic trees decorated either side of the hallways, along with wooden benches which housed whomever was fortunate to be, at the very least, weary from the long day. Flyers plastered their colorful phrases all over the walls, some about politics, others about social problems, and yet still, about the WRGP and how to get tickets for free (probably just another scam). Rays danced around the students' silhouettes, the ground reverberating with footsteps as everyone leisurely made their way toward the large, glass doors. If Akiza turned around, it really would look like just another regular school, untouched by the destruction which befell Neo Domino so many years back.

It'd been so long since their confrontation with the Dark Signers. The city has improved a lot; surprisingly, there was no prejudice between Satellite and Neo Domino residents. In fact, the Satellite was actually in the process of being rejuvenated; poverty was rapidly diminishing, and unemployment was already starting to drop. Not only that, but, much to her amazement, everyone seemed to just…get along. Even the psychic duelists from the Arcadia Movement found someplace to belong, some with their old homes, others in the service industry, and even still, others remaining duelists. In retrospect, it might've looked like _Goodwin_ was the problem.

But that wasn't a very convincing lie, was it?

As soon as the two girls came outside, the calm warmth shrouded them. Light green leaves covered the vicinity, with tiny, white buds popping out from those fragile branches. Tiny, yellow petals fluttered in the air, as so many students joined their friends for yet another carefree moment. As their conversations dragged on, soon enough, Akiza found herself mindlessly shifting through her brain. Her parents were out of town, so she could just hang out at the garage with the guys. She didn't know if Alexis and Jaden had any plans yet, and there was Leo and Luna to look after too…

A few blocks later, Akiza let herself fall just a few steps behind Alexis. She clutched her bag tightly, as her gaze flickered toward the various bystanders standing around, waiting for friends, family, whomever they were ordered to meet. Some were on their cellphones, others on computers, and even still, strangers talking here and there, trying to find some common ground between them and the world around them. Where were they going? Who were they going with? Did they have jobs? Families? Friends?

"Hey."

Akiza snapped back to Alexis. "What is it?"

She stopped then. They just stood there, in the middle of that wide sidewalk, taking in the afternoon rays. A few moments later, Akiza leaned over. "Lexi?"

"Hungry," she murmured.

Akiza blinked. "Huh?"

"ARGH! The idiot was supposed to call!" she whined, as she promptly dropped Akiza's hand and swiped out her phone. "Where is he?!"

"He…you said he had an interview, right?"

"Yeah, but he wasn't supposed to take this long!"

"Alexis, give him some time-"

But before she could finish, Alexis already had placed the phone on her cheek, her normally vibrant eyes darkening at the muffled conversation going on. Akiza immediately fell silent, and looked away, as the argument began. It wasn't long before she sighed, as she slowly backed away from the blonde, all the while trying to come up with yet another excuse as to why she ditched the girl that afternoon.

She could just hang out at the garage with the guys.

Alexis and Jaden didn't have any plans yet.

And there was Leo and Luna to look after.

She left Alexis to her plight.

* * *

 

They shoved him against the steel bars, their mocking laughter bouncing off the walls of the cell. The cold, metallic bite slammed against his cheek, as his reddish brown hair falling before his olive green eyes. He bit down his tongue, forcing down yet another painful grunt. Before long, the emaciated man turned back, his eyes wide with anger and frustration. The iron door shut, and he was left to his lonesome, with nothing but his humiliation and battered body to keep him company.

They took his deck.

_They took his deck._

But as fast as the anger came, it just as quickly dissipated. He could only stare after the door, at where the two guards once were, the empty space staring him down with its arrogant smirk. Only a split second later, he had to turn away, the familiar, salty streams running down his face.

There was a cold, black, iron bed at towards the back of the cell. Rough rags housed a variety of lice and insects within the foldings, however barren it might've appeared. Only a flickering fluorescent light kept him warm, though even then, at times that simple luxury came away from him. The faint ticks of that same, unforeseen clock hung above his cell, with its rats constantly racing across the floors from him in perfect harmony. He kept twitching at that cruel pendulum, as he counted down until the end of his time in prison, though he knew that he may as well have stayed here for forever. He knew perfectly well that no one resided on the other side of that big, iron door, praying that he'd be released.

No one from the Arcadia Movement.

No one from Goodwin.

No one at all.

The man silently made his way to the edge of his bed, his wide eyes still lost in the mercilessness just moments ago. How he let things get so bad, he'd no idea. He kept reviewing his plans, over and over and over again, trying to determine where he messed up, where his own arrogance screwed him over.

No, it didn't seem right to blame it on just that little mouse, or Yusei Fudo, or that model, or even the Dark Signers. In the end, who was left but he, to take the fall? He was the one suffering, not them, right? And in the eyes of society, he was the bad guy, wasn't he?

But that made no sense.

None whatsoever.

After that little thought, his mind came to a slow, grinding halt. Slowly, he began to close his eyes, his brain gradually drifting away from the painful stings of the struggles he managed to put up with. Gently, the nightmares ebbed away, replaced by a replica of sweet darkness. He held himself, his head dropping lower and lower into his arms, as he prepared for yet another dreamless night. Yes, that's right; he wanted something more, a world, a home, a dominion, a kingdom, to call his own. He wanted it. He was entitled to it. He deserved everything in that world; he did, of course he did.

So why was he here?

Because he wasn't.

He was somewhere else. He was in his office, doing some paperwork, processing whatever connections he had so that the Movement could gain more influence. He was getting Akiza ready for the Fortune Cup, all the while calling in favors from top officials, blackmailing them into doing what he wanted. He could practically feel the words slipping out of his mouth, as he told one story after the other, interweaving statements until finally, only a tangled mess of past mistakes remained. He didn't dare touch whatever he'd said that day; if he did, it'd only make things more complicated.

Then, his most loyal followers would show up in front of him, Akiza included, and they'd begin making plans as to how to recruit more psychics, how to add to their publicity, how to retain members, making them think they'd no choice but to stay, emotionally speaking.

He believed it, even though the lie was so blatantly false.

It was the only illusion he could afford to cling to.

Then, there was a knock on the door.

"Sayer?"

Quietly, his eyes flickered open. Blurred shapes slowly came forth, and with it, a dark silhouette that brought in a new, kinder smell, one he hadn't known in a long time. Ah, it seems there was someone new here too; a guard perhaps? Female maybe, considering how light her footsteps sounded. A shame she had to work here.

"Sayer."

He could only mumble his gibberish. Afterwards, he sat there, and allowed the strangers to talk. He opened his mouth again, only to be cut off by a nearby guard.

Weird; they all sounded so mad for some reason. But that wasn't really his concern anyways; where was he, in the past? Right; he was saying something about the Fortune Cup…

"Get. Up."

He did so.

Slowly, his head turned to the direction of the voice. More complicated terms, more people, more places.

More more more more more.

What were they talking about anyways?

Was it about the food?

How about the art room?

More colors?

"Ms. Amrbosine would like to talk with you."

Amrbosine…

Who?

The guards shoved him away, the disgust clearly evident on their faces. It was all Sayer could do not to stumble, barely managing to catch himself. He remembered seeing a woman there, in front of him, but he couldn't make out anything else. It was just so dark.

But somehow, he gripped something. It was tiny, calloused, cold; was it ice? No, it was too dry for ice. A bar maybe? A bar with knuckles and nails and such?

"Let me talk with him," an odd woman said.

He cocked his head, and tried replying. However, for some reason, he couldn't.

Why?

More words.

More gibberish.

And at an instant, he found himself on the floor, unable to move, to cry out.

* * *

 

_How could you?_

His eyes shot open.

The dull, afternoon light came through the glass, with tiny dust particles shimmering within his vicinity. The subtle, familiar scent of oil reached his nostrils, along with the unmistakable aroma of smoke. Though the fatigue still entrenched his eyes, somehow, he managed to make himself sit up, the soft, velvet couch beneath him. He blinked away his weariness, all the while willing whatever dream's shadows away from his sight. At an instant, the dream slipped from his mind, and at once, Yusei regarded the room evenly.

Cool, blue eyes scrutinized the archaic corners supporting the walls, sheltering the plentiful cobwebs nestled comfortably. Large, rectangular windows gave way to the sunny skies above, with nary a stray cloud in sight. As he sat up, with strands of his raven colored bangs falling to his eyes, he saw those big, white computers reflecting right back at him, the screens showing the complex systems so eagerly awaiting his commands. He looked down then, and breathed a deep sigh, before standing up, his brown, combat boots quietly hitting the floor. Tan skin contrasted to whatever darkness was left in the room, providing a smooth transition between his own, dark outfit, with that of his surroundings.

He couldn't help but examine the three duel runners sitting in front of him patiently, all of which he knew need to be upgraded. The first was a red, with a half arch settled just behind the driver seat. The silver gleam of the engine underneath radiated with energy, a testament to the practice runs he'd forced upon it last night. A duel disk was sitting there, enthusiastically showing off any new additions, whether they be imagined or not. The second was black, with patterns of gold lodged onto the side. It had all the configurations of Yusei's duel runner, though in a way, the design was more pronounced; after all, it had a set of wings toward the bottom, something akin to a bird Yusei saw the other day. However, the last duel runner was more ostentatious than either of the two; a full arch that acted as an aerodynamic advantage for speed. Along with the fact that its driver was a bit narcasstic, it was a given for the duel runner to claim, at the least, most of his attention.

He blinked, trying to recall what he was doing before. Steadily, he walked toward the computer, as his gaze shifted toward the flyer taped to the upper walls. The WRGP was coming up. He was trying to fix the engines, wasn't he? Where was Crow? And Jack? The others were probably still at school.

That's right; Crow was working a double shift tonight for another job, but, as it so happens, he didn't need his duel runner. Neither did Jack, since he was still trying to hold down…something.

Slowly, Yusei sat down at the computer, typing in a few random letters as to get the screen running. Automatically, the plans opened in front of him. He narrowed his eyes, as he scanned the frustrating problem over and over again.

Slowly, he started typing again, the program gradually increasing in intensity as he did so; complex formulas began changing over and over again, while he worked out yet another way to make the energy input more efficient. The power surge would need to be rerouted here, but Yusei felt that they could afford the energy storage compartment could loosen up its restraints against the fuel intake…

Again, his eyes flickered toward the empty room.

Crow was working a double shift tonight.

Jack was trying to hold something down.

Akiza and the others were still at school.

The WRGP was coming up soon.

He came back to the computer then, and concentrated on the next data set. Judging from the charts, it seems the energy surge was starting to improve, though not by much. The correlation needed to be a bit stronger, if he wanted to know if what he did actually worked.

He closed his eyes, and settled back in his seat. It wasn't long before his eyes began wandering around, the very thought of upgrading the runners still a pressing matter on his brain. Though of course, there were improvements, it wasn't enough to actually win the WRGP, unless all the other teams mysteriously vanished.

He stared up at the ceiling then, his eyes fixated on the cracks just above his head. How long had it been since their fight with the Dark Signers? How long since they moved in with Zora, since they beat Goodwin, since the Satellite had been rebuilt and everything seemed to be at peace, however eerie it was? How long, exactly, had it been, since there was anything the signers could do to, once again, save the world?

Crow was working a double shift tonight.

Jack was trying to hold something down.

Akiza and the others were still at school.

The WRGP was coming up soon.

He couldn't help but smile.

Have things always been so peaceful?


	3. Chapter 3

She pushed her bangs back, as she scrutinized the articles messily piled on her desk. Dark, green eyes kept scanning the headlines over and over again, all the while endeavoring to memorize the victims' names, however stupid they may have seemed. After an hour or so, she simply sighed and settled back in her seat, rubbing her temples in frustration.

Her long, blond locks were tied back into four simple braids, with a neat little tail around the back. Her red jacket gleamed nostalgically along the lines of the fading sunlight, her blue skirt blending in with the growing shadows in her office. She wore a white undershirt, one that reflected back the words of the documents. Pearl nails kept rapping the black desk impatiently, as she looked over the articles for the umpteenth today. Finally, she closed her eyes, and shoved the articles away from her.

Angela Raines was getting nowhere with this.

Why the editor-in-chief decided to make her the lead reporter for this, she had no idea. Digging up scandals about celebrities was more her thing; entertaining the masses was her thing; starting drama was her thing. And yet, for some reason, she had to be assigned to…whatever this was. But, out of a momentary lapse of sanity, she decided to take the assignment anyways. She was never one for giving up after all, and besides, if she completed her assignment, the chief said she'd get a promotion.

Well, a couple of weeks later, and here she still was.

What'd the chief want her to do anyways? Find the name of the culprit? Make an obituary for all the deaths? Let the public knows what actually happened? Follow the Public Security Bureau with the investigation? Provide a comprehensive report? Help them with the autopsies? Seriously, Angela was this close to shoving the assignment back into the chief's smug face and getting the heck out of here.

She stared lazily at the empty space in front of her, taking in all the white walls, with a stray poster of a kitten lying somewhere along her right side. Two tall bookcases nestled against those walls, most of which were empty, aside from a few diplomas and books. A small, tiny tree stood near the cases, but from here, it seems the green was already starting to fade. Well, it's only natural; Angela didn't really have a green thumb to begin with.

But then of course, that stupid plant wasn't the issue here.

As of this point, all she could think of was the recent attacks on the victims. According to the recent news reports, most of the victims were upper officials or residents at the Tops, who died in the hospital, just a mere few hours after they were admitted to the emergency room. The doctors couldn't really find anything, and whenever they did they'd only say the victims died of heart failure, or stroke, or whatever. _Natural_ causes. Neither the city nor the families were allowing them to do autopsies for them, and since that was the case, the police can't get any of the data to forensic labs.

The rest of the victims, however, died on the streets. Unlike the hospitalizations, everyone knew how the victims died. Some had bullet holes in their heads, while others with knives in their throats, their eyes wide with terror. Some were found in back alleys, others in abandoned warehouses, some even near what used to be the old Satellite. There was even one man who hung from a light post, the noose tightly secured around his neck.

Dismemberment, sexual assault, hate crimes, any theory the public could get their hands on; that's what people would go for. Rumors kept shrouding the entire case in mystery; government conspiracies, corruption in the higher-ups, bribing. No one believed the police had anything to do with it, and right now, everyone agreed that the killings were, indeed, the work of a psychopath. Maybe two, maybe three.

Her eyes carefully flickered over to the neat little list she'd made several days back. Slowly, she reached out for it, and examined whatever contents she'd scribbled down on it. The funeral homes won't give her clearance to see the bodies, and the chief-of-police wasn't really that eager to work with a reporter on the case either. The only thing she can do was wait like everyone else, and see where the articles lead her. If she wanted to get any real information, she was probably going to have to interview the families first, then the police, then the medical staff.

But there in lies the problem; people saw her all the time reporting on would take her seriously; in fact that's what happened when the Satellite rioted. Even Goodwin, who provided most of her leads, had brushed her aside. 

The very thought of it caused her to clutch the edge of the papers tightly, as she narrowed her eyes in contempt.

Good riddance.

"E-e-excuse me?" a timid voice called from behind the door.

She jumped and looked up. Her lips parted for a second, as she stared at the closed door, the words still swirling in her head. Before long, the voice called again. "M-Ms. Raines?"

"Y-yes!" she managed.

A small, squeaky little boy came through. Immediately, her tense shoulders relaxed, and she, once again, poured herself over the files. "T-there's s-someone…I, um…t-there's-"

"Bring them in."

"Y-yes ma'am!" And with that, the little boy scurried off, happy that he was of use today.

An intern probably.

Afterwards, silence followed, though Angela could still make out calm footsteps slowly making their way in the room. She heard the door shut in a matter of seconds. There was an awkward pause as the presence came forth, but immediately, the fluorescent lights came on, making the articles clearer to see. Huh; she'd forgotten about the light switch.

"Well?" she asked. "Make it quick."

"Um…right. I'll be helping you with the story, the one about the murders."

She looked up.

He had cropped, dark brown hair, with bright, hazel highlights on top. Dark, piercing eyes blended with the shadows around her, though his skin contrasted sharply to it. He wore a blue blazer, with a black undershirt beneath it. Dark jeans hugged his legs, and if she squinted, she could make out a single paper in his left pocket. The application.

The new kid, the one from Duel Academy. Apparently, he was the only one with enough smarts to actually impress the chief. How old was he anyways? Sixteen? Seventeen? Twelve?

Still, she could use some help. So she smiled her professional smile, and leaned back in her chair. "Right, so you passed the interview, huh?"

He nodded. "Yes. I've done some research about the victims, but other than that-"

"Good," she interrupted, as she stacked the papers into one neat pile. She placed them at the front of her desk, shoved them forward, and stood up. "Go put those away for me."

He blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Misty Tredwell is coming back to Neo Domino," she explained as she walked to the other side of the room. "I'm going to cover it for tonight's story, so I need you to-"

"W-wait."

"What?"

"What about the case?"

"Just leave it," Angela snapped, before turning the knob and walking out, the victims' names still embedded in her mind.

* * *

 

"Give me the wrench."

"What for?"

"Just give it to me."

"Yeah…but why?"

"Crow," Yusei said exasperatedly, as he gave his friend a hard stare. After the brief struggle, the redhead sighed, and handed Yusei what he needed. He scratched the back of his head then, as he regarded the duel runners evenly. He scrunched up his nose, before finally nodding in approval. "Hey, looks like we got something."

"Yeah," Yusei replied aimlessly, as he stole one look to his laptop. He stared at it for a while, before returning to the engine. The compressor needed to be tightened, as did the cylinders. How efficient the entire thing is though, Yusei still couldn't tell; the friction alone will push it to its limits, and if they go too fast, the whole thing will overheat.

"So…how was your day?" Crow continued, fingering the handles on the duel runner. Yusei stole a look at him, before tightening the bolts. "Fine," he answered.

Crow fixed his dark viridian headband uncomfortably, as he watched Yusei work. He was wearing his job uniform, which was a single, yellow jacket, with the restaurant logo embedded in the front. Since he hadn't taken the thing off, along with the fact that there were dark shadows embedded beneath his eyes, Yusei knew the guy was going to collapse in the next few moments. Well, he'd been working hard, and Yusei was almost done always. Crow could use a little break.

"Any calls?" Crow suddenly asked.

"Two cars broke down," Yusei explained. "And someone asked me to rebuild their air conditioner."

"…Why?"

"One of the kids threw it out on the street. Crazy, huh?"

"Yeah. Hey, speaking of crazy," Crow began, folding his arms to his chest, "where's Jack?"

"Try the cafe," Yusei said nonchalantly, as he reached over for a screwdriver. As soon as he grabbed it, he couldn't help but notice Crow's shocked face. He sighed, then turned to the duelist with a sympathetic look. "He's trying-"

"Be right back," he grumbled miserably. "You done with her yet?"

"I haven't even started-"

"Good." Immediately, Crow reached over and grabbed his helmet, before setting himself on the driver's seat and speeding right out of the garage.

He stared after his friend for a bit, the comical fight replaying in his head over and over again. He smirked, then turned back and examined the engine. Personally, he didn't even know what to do with those two; sometimes, they were helpful, other times not. Then of course, the three have always been the best of friends, and pissing each other off was probably apart of that friendship, however… confusing it might've seemed.

He twisted the nail into its place, then looked back onto the computer. With both hands, he began grounding the wires to the machine, ignoring the rusty scent coming off the engine. Not enough capacity either; was he going to have to rebuild this thing over again?

No. The capacitors seemed to fit okay, and the braking system was strong enough to, at the very least, slow the duel runner down in the event something happened. And admittedly, it looked good.

"Yusei?"

He blinked, as the shadow came from the doorstep. His eyes flickered toward the garage door, and before long, he saw Jaden standing there, with a wiry smile on his face.

Automatically, Yusei straightened, the faintest hints of pleasant surprise on his face. It'd been a while since he last saw the brunette. The last time they talked, he couldn't really remember when, and how they actually met, he'd forgotten long ago. But still, Yusei welcomed him. "Hey."

The boy nodded in return, as he plopped down onto that old, beat-up couch. With one, stray glance, he turned back to Yusei, and smiled. "You're training for the WRGP?"

"How'd you-?"

"Aki told me."

Yusei stared at Jaden's school uniform for a while, before realizing the two went to the same school. "I didn't think you two actually knew each other."

He shrugged. "Well, we do. She's my _very_ bestest friend in the whole _wide_ world."

Yusei fought down a jealous pang, quickly replacing it with a simple, tight smile. "You're an idiot."

"Bite me."

"Whatever. So, how've things been with you? Been a while since I last saw you."

"Yeah; I've been meaning to keep in touch. So hey, remember what I told you before, about that internship?"

Yusei paused for a moment, thinking back to the conversations the two barely had with each other. That's right; the one with that news station. "You get it?"

"I…think I did?"

"What'd you mean you 'think'?"

"See, there was this lady who was supposed to teach me stuff," Jaden explained quietly, as he leaned back on the sofa, his eyes staring at nothing in particular. "But she had somewhere to be, so she had me put files away for her. It's so stupid."

"You're a high school student." 

"So?"

"You've got to prove yourself before you can actually do anything."

"But seriously, I thought this was gonna be…you know, an internship," he complained. "What's gonna happen on Monday, huh? Grab a coffee, sit down, answer calls? If that's all, I'd rather be in class."

"So…that lady…"

"Oh right! My mentor…" His voice faltered, a weary frown coming upon his face. "Angela Raines. She's a reporter for the entertainment industry. She hates kids."

"Birds of a feather."

"Shut it."

Yusei chuckled slightly, as he looked down at the engine, his hands aimlessly fumbling around once more. "But that's it?" he pressed. "No story? No super cool scandal you've always kept talking about?"

Jaden was about to say something, when he stopped, his lips halfway opened. After a few moments of silence, he relaxed, a curiously morbid smile on his face. "Actually, there is one…"

"Which celebrity?"

"No, not those idiots this time," Jaden remarked. "It's real, this story, the kind people actually care about."

Yusei groaned mentally. "Look, if it's about Jack-"

But the boy shook his head. "Nope. So you know about the recent murders right? The one with the politicians and all that?"

He was taken back. Well yes, who hasn't? The killings were so brutal everyone was talking about them. Just yesterday, Carly felt the need to tell them to the entire team, just to make sure they'd be on the lookout. Of course, since Akiza was the daughter of a senator, she'd have to be more careful than the rest, but other than that little burden, there was nothing else out of the ordinary, nothing at all that touched their seemingly normal lives. Yusei narrowed his eyes. "So you're following that case?" 

Jaden snorted. "Well, yeah, since Ms. Raines can't get her head out of her ass to do anything about it. It's been weeks, and so far, she's got nothing on the killer."

"So she's just…letting you work with her?"

"But in all honesty," he continued, brushing aside Yusei's snide comment, "I've been following this for a while. I'd want to get to the bottom of it too, you know?"

"Oh, so you're a _good_ guy now."

"Quiet."

"Right," he said jokingly. He reached to the handles, and twisted them, listening to the engine's roar reverberating throughout the garage. He examined the duel runner for a while longer, before standing up, and placing the wrench on the table. "So, got any plans of how you're gonna do this?"

"I want to see what Raines has first."

"…So you've got nothing…?"

"All the bodies are being held in one little funeral home right now. If I can get in and talk with the director, maybe they'd give me something."

"…You really are clueless."

"Huh?"

"The doctors all said the victims died of natural causes. As for the ones on the streets-"

"It can't be that simple."

"Let the police do their jobs; remember, you're an intern." Yusei advised, as he wiped his hands on the rags. "You're only job is to, I don't know, intern or something…?"

"No way. There's absolutely no freaking way I'm just sitting on the sidelines."

"…Isn't that what reporters do?"

"I-"

"Like I said; just do your job. The police will catch the guy eventually. In the meantime, you can always-"

"Don't you even-"

"-grab a coffee, maybe sit down and take some calls-"

A wrench came flying to Yusei's head just seconds later.

* * *

 

He awoke to the sound of dripping water.

Groggily, Sayer sat up, a deep, stabbing pain throbbing within his chest. His eyes wearily surveyed whatever was around him, all the while trying to ignore the obvious darkness so lovingly enveloped around his vision. In a split second, the lights came on, causing Sayer to wince painfully at the burning rays. When the light cleared, he couldn't help but freeze, unable to breathe, or move.

The interrogation room.

He remembered how it looked, the first time he arrived. He remembered looking down at tiny faces on some paper he couldn't read, at different names he never bothered learning. He remembered how badly they beat him, how they simply dragged him into this room, handcuffed to the chair, as they asked him how many children have disappeared under his care. He remembered how his answer kept changing, how he kept trying to keep the truth from them, trying to cover up his true nature with the same facades he'd lost track of some time ago. He remembered how brutal they were, how incredibly monstrous they were, drilling his head with lies upon lies, using the very same technique he had to ensnare the truth from him. Yes, he remembered that mirror there too, remembered the handsome stranger who once sat there, staring back at him, the reflection so very similar to his own.

He shuddered at the memories, and looked down at the iron table, so very reminiscent of the tables he strapped countless of duelists on.

What could they possibly want from him?

Another swab sample? Another plea deal? For him to come to court for yet another missing persons case?

_What?_

"Sayer."

He turned around.

There was a young woman standing there, just a mere foot behind him. She was young, early twenties almost. She had light brown skin, with dark locks tied in a neat, little bun behind her head. Bright blue, almost purple eyes gazed back at him, judging him without the slightest of effort. There was a pale, white folder tucked neatly away in her arms, along with a black pen that looked a bit too sharp for his tastes. She was dressed in a sleek, red dress, with a small, black jacket around her tiny shoulders. While she sounded calm, when he caught a glimpse at her expression, he shivered at her icy glare, so much so he almost slunk away from her.

"Sayer?" she repeated.

Dumbly, he nodded.

She sighed. "I trust you know who I am?" she asked quietly, as she sat down in front of him with the same, intense look.

He shook his head.

"Sarah," she stated calmly. She placed her elbows on the table, and leaned toward him. "Sarah Amrbosine."

He blinked, before cocking his head, just a tiny bit.

Amrbosine.

He's heard that name somewhere before.

"I'm with the Public Security Bureau," she continued. "I was assigned to your case. I can assure you that you're in good hands, alright?"

He nodded.

She stared at him for a while, before closing her eyes, and opening up the white folder. "And if everything goes well," she began, as she splayed its contents all over the table, "you might even get out of here in the next few hours."

He gave her an incredulous look.

That was impossible; if someone had been working to free him for the past months, he would certainly know about it. And besides, who was she to order him around anyways? What'd she have to do with him?

She must've noticed his look, because a few moments later, she glared at him with those piercing eyes of hers. "Sayer," she said in a hard voice. "I have the power to free you, without any legal struggle. I can get the court approval in a matter of hours; all you have to do is answer a simple question. Understand?"

"…Why?" he croaked.

"Pardon?"

Strange, how his voice sounded after all this time. Then again, he'd spent so much time by his lonesome, any sound may seem odd really, aside from the guards, of course. "Why're you…?"

"Because you can do something for me."

"…And-?"

"You're not really in any position to question my authority, are you?" Ms. Amrbosine hissed then, causing him to fall silent. She stared at him for a while, before she smirked, and gazed down at the neat pile of papers now lying in front of her. "Don't worry; it's not about you."

"…T-then who-?"

"Someone from the Arcadia Movement." Carefully, she slid a photograph across the table, her fingertips lightly touching the edges. "Now, tell me; are you familiar with this person?"

Sayer leaned over, and immediately, his senses returned. He blinked then, as he regarded the woman evenly. "What'd you want from me?"

"A name."

Sayer gazed down at the photograph again. "He's not in the Movement."

"Our records show different."

The quiet persisted for a while, as he stared down at the photograph. He bit the inside of his cheek; he'd do anything, anything at all, to get out of here.

"Yusei," he said. "Yusei Fudo."

True to her word, in just a few hours, Sayer's appeal was issued. He was released from prison the very same day.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Akiza walked throughout the bustling streets, lampposts brightly lit throughout the streets of downtown Neo Domino. Glimmering signs kept up with their radiating glow, most of which revolved around some upcoming minor leagues. Stores showed off their elegance, from clothing, to chandeliers, to even performances, which radiated in a sort of immature sophistication. Lively conversations kept on with their pace, and the smell of food drifted outside the restaurants, accompanied by drunken laughter. If she listened closely, she could catch little snippets of their jokes, though of course, a second later, she'd lose interest, and fall away completely.

The warm, humid air coated itself around her skin, as she looked down at the sidewalks, her red pumps blending in with the hazy silhouettes. Her bangs softly caressed her collarbone as she strolled on, her Victorian outfit blending in with the scenery with perfect ease. Golden orbs came back up as soon as she heard some people lingering near. Without the slightest effort, she smiled her usual smile. The onlookers stared at her for a while, then, before long, they returned it, and continued on their way.

She liked the way people treated her now. There were no screams, no cries. She never ran into anyone from the Fortune Cup, and whenever some duelist came up to her, it was because they thought she was amazing at how she wielded her deck. The compliments were genuine, and whatever traces of sarcasm there'd been was now long forgotten. The present was so different from before; so much so she couldn't help but wonder if this was the same life she had before.

As the businesses became less pronounced, and the evening moonlight coming toward her with lonely magnificence, she stopped, and breathed in the cool, lazy breeze. Deep verdant came forth from the trees, and lively shadows calmed themselves deliberately. Soon, the pavement became wider, with the conversations quietly slipping away from her ears. She blinked, then turned back to the busy places. She stared at the entire scene for a while, before she left those streets. She came into a local park then, one she used to visit when she was little.

From a distance, she could make out a small, brown gazebo, hidden away within the trees. She saw a few cobwebs shimmering in the nostalgic light, with dangling spiders over the edge. Just a few feet from that, was a small, tiny garden, filled with blossoms from another season. Some of the flowers were wilting, but their newer, younger counterparts were taking shrouding them quite easily. Bright, vibrant petals hid old, wizened ones, and the soft leaves masked whatever thorns and bristles the previous generation had carried over. It was a bit sad, to see them like that, but then again, who was she to question them? If anything, those plants needed to be removed, else they'd take up all the room in the garden.

As she strolled down the sidewalk, fond memories came coursing back. She always came here, for one reason or another, whether to cry, or laugh, or just play with the flowers. Sometimes, her parents came with her, other times, she was alone. But the results were always the same; she'd be attracted to the roses growing here, their wonderful aroma embracing their surroundings. She knew of their thorns, and there were times when she accidentally pricked herself on them, but nonetheless, she loved them, both the roses, and their thorns.

She placed her hands behind her back.

Yusei, Jack, Crow, Leo and Luna, and of course, Jaden and Alexis.

She could practically see them now, standing there, waiting for her to come to them. 

And she couldn't help but laugh. Seriously, if any one of them found her here, she might as well have died of embarrassment. Crow and Jack might just trample all over the flowers with their stupid fights, and Alexis might try burning something down, with Jaden in tow. Leo might join in on the fun, but Luna and Yusei would stay behind. In fact, they might try to stop the destruction from unfolding, but she could definitely see them laughing too. In a good way, she might add. And who knows? Akiza might just join them.

But before she knew it, she stopped.

All the air rushed out of her body. Her eyes were wide with surprise, as she looked at the person standing beside her, the desperation so clearly evident on their face.

A boy, from what she could remember.

There were bruises all over his battered face. Scabs marred his cheek, and stitches adorned his arms and legs. He was dressed in brown rags, with chains dangling from his wrist. Brown, scraggly hair clung to his neck, and with a wide, frightened groan. He was trembling, and freezing, and bleeding, all over. There was something there, beneath his light blue skin, something crawling underneath that transparent mess, something following the lines of the veins.

Insects.

They were insects.

Maggots, worms, parasites; they all fell out from him, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

And yet, the thing she could remember the most, was the single, black rose embedded in his neck.

Bone for leaves.

Scars for thorns.

Blood for petals.

The boy's cracked lips opened, the vague air coming around him. He reached out to her, and with one, deep breath, he began calling out for her.

She could see her name written all over his sewn lips, as he tried over and over again, tried to speak out to her, tried to grab hold of her with his fragile grip.

He took one step closer, and then another step, then another, then another, then another.

And when she blinked, the boy was gone.

* * *

 

Someone was crying.

Someone was _crying_.

Yusei wandered through the darkness, the uncertainty trapped within his eyes. He fumbled through the black, trying to see far out from him. He squinted his eyes, before closing them once again, and reopening them.

Light.

"Hey, Yusei!"

He fought down a wince, as he slowly sat up. A sharp pang stabbed his head, but he brushed it aside, as he groped the soft covers around him. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from moaning, as he looked up.

Crow.

Jack.

"What're you two doing?" was the first thing he asked.

Jack snorted. "What'd you mean what're we doing?" he stated arrogantly. "We've got to test out the new engine; you did fix it, didn't you?"

"Y-yeah," he whispered quietly, shoving the confusing dream toward the back of his mind. Slowly, he placed his feet on the ground and stood, the headache now just beginning passing by. "Just give me one minute."

Crow stared at his friend, as he fumbled his way to the machines, steadily holding himself as the fatigue quickly slipped by him. He bent down, and started up the computer. "Go ahead," Yusei said.

Silence diffused throughout the room, but no sooner had it arrived did it vanish. Jack nodded approvingly, and, with one fluid motion, he set himself on the duel runner's skeletal frame. His hand twisted the handle, and the engine immediately came to life. "Right! See? Purring like a kitten."

"Slow down a little," Crow commanded.

"What? No way."

"Jack, you're gonna overheat the engine like last time. Slow. Down."

"You can't tell me what to do," Jack stubbornly said, "and besides, everything's fine! Not in the red, right?"

"Nope," Yusei muttered quietly.

"See? Yusei thinks it's fine."

"Well, I'm telling you it's not. Slow. Down."

Jack rammed the gas pedal, causing the sped to accelerate.

"What the heck man?!"

"Jack Atlas doesn't take orders! I know what I'm doing!"

"Well apparently, YOU DON'T!"

Yusei gave the two an amused smile, as he continued monitoring the engine's process. He stared at the needle, as he began searching through the code, trying to find any errors that would've slowed them down; he mentally cheered when he didn't those simplistic mistakes. He stared at the meter again; eighty and still steady. Though this wasn't nearly as fast as they needed it to be, at the very least it was a big improvement from what they had just days earlier.

"Hey, Jack, slow down." Yusei said.

"What?" the blonde screamed.

Well this can't be good.

Yusei turned back with a cool frown plastered on his lips. "Slow down!" he shouted again.

"There; you see? Slow down nimrod!"

"I can't hear you!" Jack replied, the same, serious frown on his face.

"Push the breaks!"

"What?!"

"PUSH THE DAMN-!"

A familiar explosion erupted from the engine.

Yusei held his breath, the heat swarming around him. He could feel the flames stinging his palm, with the same, impossible frustration banging against his head. Clear, blue eyes gazed past the smoke, as he made out the familiar silhouettes behind the ash and ember. He sighed humorlessly, as he turned his attention to the engine; what'd he do this time? It was fine just a minute ago, and the program didn't seem to have any flaws in it.

He waved his arm around, as he ignored Jack's incompetence in following common sense. "Hey, guys, you okay?"

No answer.

"Guys!"

Still nothing.

Yusei looked down at his computer, trying to reread the program lines once again. The engine still can't handle the strain yet, and even if it could, he'd need another valve to help cool it down. Honestly, there wasn't much he could do, but to fix the engine up, and buy more parts. The codes needed to be reworked if they stood any chance of winning the WRGP.

He turned back. "Jack, Crow!"

Nothing.

"Seriously, this joke is really starting to get old-"

Cold, lifeless eyes stared back at him.

Tiny eyes.

Crying eyes.

There was a child lying there, right before him, with cold, tiny eyes.

She was completely naked, her horribly emaciated body laid out for the world to see. On her chest, a deep, gaping hole settled toward the middle, with black and blue entwining with the dried crimson so comfortably embracing the scene. She had dirty blond hair, with half the strands completely missing from her skull. Bruises covered her entire face, the ruptured vessels bleeding out from her limbs. Her lips were sewn into a dirtied, perverted smile, the blood trickling from her lips. If he squinted, he could see the salty streams running down her face, the misery so very evident in her gaze.

And when he looked up, he saw more.

And more.

And more.

All of whom were in the same condition as the girl. Some had broken limbs, others crooked bones. Some missing eyes, others missing teeth, with only bloody gums to show for it; some missing organs, others where organs were in the wrong places. Their bodies were marred by needle injections, the very same drugs already taking a toll on their nervous systems. He saw them twitching, unable to scream, unable to say anything at all. Only a few managed to pry open the stitches, but even then they could only get a mere whisper out from their throats, before being swept away by Death's embrace. The very same smiles were forced upon their lips, some more cruelly than others.

Clear blue eyes instantly clouded.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't do breathe.

He was on the verge of screaming.

"Yusei?"

And suddenly, they were gone.

"Yusei!" Crow said again.

He blinked, the darkness coming away from his eyes. Cold sweat came from his forehead, his fingertips icy to the touch. He stared around the room then, before coming back to his two friends, who were patiently waiting for him.

"Uh, Yus-?"

"R-right," Yusei quickly said, as he came back to the computer. "Jack, slow down next time, alright?"

Quiet came between the three duelists, as both Jack and Crow shared a concerned look. Before long, Jack stared down at the duel runner, as he murmured, "The deuce was that?"

"What?"

"Yusei, we'd been calling you for like, five minutes now."

"Sorry," he muttered. "Just a little tired is all."

"A little? Yusei-"

"I'm fine," he cut off, his fingers flying across the keyboard then. "Crow, can you make sure the transmission's fine? I rerouted the power elsewhere too, so…"

"Got it."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Oi-"

"Jack," Yusei stated frustratedly. He paused for a moment, before closing his eyes, his nerves slowly calming from what'd happened just moments before. He took a deep breath, and turned to the blonde, who was, strangely, waiting for any answer. "I'm fine. Really."

"You know, Akiza should be out by now-"

"Quiet."

"What? I'm just saying-"

"You know, you've been pulling a lot of all-nighters," Crow interrupted, causing Jack to fall silent. "Maybe you should take a break once in a while, you know? Let us do something for a change."

"Guys, don't worry," he said, brushing aside their attempts.

Nothing.

He looked up. "Look, I'll be alright-"

The blonde stared at him doubtfully. He folded both arms across his chest, and narrowed his eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Then why'd you stop?"

He blinked. "The engine overheated-"

"No, it didn't."

"What?"

"The engine didn't overheat. You just stopped it midway. I was going fifty."

* * *

 

Alexis stood at the front of the cafe, as she smiled at the various customers who came her way. She closed her eyes then, and listened to the footsteps passing before her, the giggles that followed each and every person. When she reopened them, she saw a familiar person coming toward her, a person she couldn't help apologetically smile at. Well, she did drag him out of bed today, and he did look like he was in a really bad mood…

She stepped away from the cafe building and walked toward him. A long, white blouse adorned her torso. A light pink mini-skirt hugged her torso, though the train seemingly floated down her ankles. She tied her hair back in a neat ponytail, as she came to him, arms to her side. When she was just a few inches away from him, she stopped, and looked down. "Sorry about this."

Jaden raised an amused eyebrow, before taking her hand in his, and leading her out of the streets. "You really are a piece of work."

"But you still came."

"I guess," he replied aimlessly, as he led her toward the cafe. Dark blue jeans covered his own legs, and other than the light, black sweater he was wearing today, he wasn't wearing anything special. But she simply shrugged, and allowed him to lead, her eyes coming to his back pocket.

So it's a _paid_ internship, huh?

They walked into cafe, greeted by the scent of vanilla and chocolate. There was a small bakery toward the back corner, the golden lights shinning down on the various pastries resplendently. Donuts of every size lay just behind the glass cases, the frosting seemingly reflecting every possible customer within the restaurant. The whirling sounds of coffee machines kept on with their comforting tasks, the drinks pouring away into the warm glass without fail. The pale tiles reflected the sophistication of the cafe, though by no means was it as graceful as they contended. Warm hearths radiated from around the wooden tables, and when they came up to the counter, the same waitress greeted them, as she had time and time again. After ordering, the two went and sat down at their usual spot next to the window.

Alexis stared at Jaden for a while, before finally, speaking up. "You get the assignment?"

He blinked. "For which class?"

"Ms. Monroe."

"…Alexis…"

"I had something I had to do that day," she said quickly, as she tucked away a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Besides, it's not like she gives a crap about it anyways, and we got out early before she even told us what we were supposed to do."

"She emailed us, remember?"

"No."

"…So you didn't do anything?"

"That's a Sunday problem," she dismissed, as she turned her attention to the bakery.

" _Today's_ Sunday."

"…Okay…?"

"It's due _tomorrow_."

"…And?"

"We have to write a twelve-paged essay? The one about Faustus? The deal with the devil? Any of this ringing a bell?" he pressed, as he leaned forward, examining the girl for one long minute. She pretended to think for a while, before shaking her head. "No."

There it was again, that same, adorable blank stare. "Alexis…"

"What're the odds that I can rip some stuff off from Black Butler?"

"None."

"So how're things with Ms. Raines?"

"Don't change the subject," he reprimanded. "As soon as we're finished here, we're going to your place."

"No."

"What?"

"You know, if you keep complaining, you might end up losing your head someday," she teased quietly, as she settled back in her seat. "Don't worry about it; if I start on it tonight, I'll probably get it done in time for class tomorrow. I'm smart, remember?"

"…I sincerely doubt that."

"Shut up. Anyways, back to my question," she said vainly. Once again, her eyes flickered over toward the bakery. One of the waiters was now bringing them their drinks. She fell silent for a moment, as she smiled at the boy, who blushed slightly at her acknowledgment. Alexis watched as he hurried away then, trying to take care of the next customer in line. She lifted the cup toward her lips, savoring the warm chocolate now enveloping her tongue, before looking back at Jaden, who had that same, usual scowl on his face, the one that made her laugh.

And she did just that. "What?"

"You really shouldn't lead a guy on like that," he murmured, as he drank from his own cup.

Alexis cocked her head. "Huh?"

"That guy's been serving us for the last month now," he explained. "Can't take his eyes off you."

"…Maybe he's watching you."

"What?"

"You always leave tips," she said. "And since you're supporting him financially, it's obvious he likes you better."

"…So Raines."

"Go on."

"I don't know," he sighed, swirling the drink in his cup with one hand. "It's been a week and she hasn't done anything with it yet. The most I actually got out of her was how big it'd be if the psychopath actually targeted the celebs, rather than the politicians."

"So… it's just one guy?"

"That's what the police think, but the investigation's ongoing," Jaden said. "Who knows how many people are out there."

She leaned forward. "You don't believe them, huh?"

"No, I do."

The surprise etched onto her face. That's odd; usually, Jaden never believed anything any of the higher-ups said; if he did, it meant that there was, without a doubt, hard evidence to back up whatever they just said. Considering he was a bit of an anarchist, this really was a big deal. She was about to pry for more, when she gazed at Jaden for a little while longer. 

"You've got nothing," she finally stated.

"Just a hunch."

"There's no way they'd give a student clearance to see the bodies," Alexis continued. "And since the closest thing you have to a mentor is Raines, it's hard for you to get anywhere."

"Don't remind me. Yusei drilled me about it the other day."

Yusei; things would be a lot easier if he was interested in the case. Along with saving the world from the Dark Signers, winning the Fortune Cup, and getting the city to rebuild the Satellite, he would've been a perfect mentor, especially for something like this. Sector Security couldn't even touch Jaden if Yusei decided to get involved in the case.

But Alexis knew better. To Yusei, they were just kids who were in way over their heads. She remembered how protective he was, the first time they met. She couldn't remember the circumstances, or the argument, for that matter, but she remembered how angry he was, when he realized they did something really dangerous. It was probably a prank, a crime, something they could get seriously hurt doing, and he scolded them for it. She'd never forget that day; in fact that was the only clear detail in her mind.

So, in a way, he was like an incredibly close friend, one they knew for a very long time, even though that wasn't the case. But at the same time, he also acted like the older brother she didn't want, even if it was for her own good.

"So what're you gonna do?" she asked then. "Are you still gonna work with her, or are you going to another station. I mean, you've been following this story for a while now, haven't you?"

"Well, yeah," Jaden replied, as he took another sip. He set the cup down. "I'm not giving up. They're crazy Lex; who knows how long it'd be before they start targeting other people? Innocent people?"

She perked up. "So you're a good guy now!"

"…Shut it."

"What? Why?"

"Just don't," he said wearily, though a single, affectionate smile danced on his lips. "Anyways, I've got the articles at my place. We can just go there tomorrow, but you have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?"

"Right," she replied enthusiastically. "Wait, why tomorrow? Can't we just go there after this?"

"Lex…"

She pursed her lips; well, can't use that excuse again, right? "What about Aki?" she asked genuinely. "Her dad's a senator, remember?"

"He's out of the city, so he won't be back for a while. And besides, it's just politicians; the killer isn't targeting the families."

She gripped her cup tightly. "What about-?"

"Not Yusei either."

"But he could help."

"He's not interested. And besides, he's working to compete in the WRPG right now, so he's really busy."

"But-"

"Lex, promise me you won't tell anyone. This'll be our little secret, okay?"

She stared at down at her drink. In context, it made perfect sense to keep this hidden. After all, no one wanted two teenagers working on the case, and if Sector Security knew they were snooping around, they could get into serious trouble for it. Akiza and Yusei would only try to stop them, and even if Alexis did get them to change their minds, by that time the culprit might've already killed someone again. Plus, if it turns out that they find out who the true criminal was, they could spend time gathering the evidence, without anyone knowing, before sending it to the police. That way, Jaden could keep his internship, and things could go back to the way they were supposed to be, before all this nonsense happened.

And besides, Jaden and Alexis have always pulled these crazy stunts together. Whether it be doing simple pranks, or organizing illegal dueling matches, or even just pissing off Sector Security, or one the higher-ups, they've always done so side by side. It didn't matter who pulled the other down, or whose magnificent idea it was; they were partners-in-crime, and that was one relationship no one could throw away. They were dating too, and that's always a benefit.

But, for some reason, she still hesitated.

Why?

"Alexis?"

"Right," she said after a while. "Our little secret."

 


	5. Chapter 5

The magnificent walls reflected back the evening sunlight. Golden leaflets swirled around the brown stripes, crimson paint behind it easily absorbing whatever stray light had come its way. Red carpet reached out toward the walls, easily claiming the designs plastered all over the room. Connecting the appearance was a low hanging chandelier, the dimly lit crystals arrogantly clinging to tiny, silver chains from the lights. And yet, just beyond that, were four large, rectangular windows. Dark golden curtains were settled on either side of the glass, the black metal bars on the outside marring the city light's beauty. Shadows grew longer and longer, their lines becoming less pronounced, as gradually, the night dominated the sky.

Sayer stood in that office, his hands neatly placed behind his back, his eyes flickering towards the two men who brought him here. He was wearing a simple, black sweater, with dark brown dress pants to go with it, and a white tie loosely hanging from his throat. He shifted his weight anxiously from one leg to the next, as he contemplated on his sudden freedom, along with the treatment he received ever since he came out.

It was a strange situation really. Just seconds after Sayer came out of the prison, there was a limousine parked right outside for him, a sleek one, with a driver who knew Sayer by name. The man said Ms. Amrbosine had sent for Sayer, and it was imperative that they leave then and there so that they could reach the hotel before evening. Although the psychic had his doubts, it wasn't like he had much of a choice to begin with. Already people were giving him disgusted looks, and because he had no deck to fight back with, he couldn't defend himself even from the most simplest of humans. With no place to go, and practically no assets left to his name, the only option he had was to accept her offer. On a more positive note, considering she'd already freed him, and was now sending someone to pick him up, he really must've been valuable.

Either that, or she was just luring him in, just as he did to so many politicians.

However, nevertheless he was a bit surprised at her preparation. He got to stay in a five-starred hotel, where, as it turns out, everyone existed only to serve him. Suddenly, he was important, a person who could easily get rid of anyone he wished, remove any blemish from his mind; he possessed a kind of power he could only dream of, even when he was still leader of the Arcadia Movement. People kept calling him "sir", and if there was even the tiniest of mistakes, the employees got down on their knees, and literally begged for his forgiveness. All the while, someone else from the cleaning staff came to fix whatever the mess was; if the unfortunate culprit was anywhere nearby, they'd drag the poor sap off, something Sayer easily grew tired of.

Still, he knew this kind of lifestyle came with an incredibly heavy price tag. Even if someone was paying for him now, he knew that eventually, he'd have to pay them back, somehow, someway.

That was how society worked, after all.

He trained his eyes to the large desk in front of him, with the large, empty, black chair sitting just behind, awaiting its master to arrive. He stared at it for a while, before shoving his hands in his pockets, and turning his gaze elsewhere. Well, whoever Ms. Amrbosine was, she was wealthy. And from the way people treated him, just for being associated with her, it was clear she had power too. Power and influence.

The Arcadia Movement flashed his mind.

"Sayer."

Any ambition he had from that moment vanished. He stiffened automatically, as those familiar heels slowly came forth, the sound resonating from his ears. From the corner of his eyes, he saw her own hazy shadow making its way toward her desk. Before long, she sat down in front of him, with those same, cruel eyes staring him down. She was wearing the same dress she had from when they first met, and other than the barely recognizable show of respect she had in her expression, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He closed his eyes, and bowed. "Ms. Amrbosine."

"I trust you're doing well?"

"Yes, thanks to you. I hadn't expected you to be that accommodating."

"I told you before that you were in good hands," she replied tactfully, as she settled back in her chair. "That your worries will disappear, as long as you answered a simple question."

His eyes narrowed slightly, though he remained as he was. "You also said you were with the Public Security Bureau."

"If you're trying to get information from me, you're wasting your time. I've absolutely no idea who asked me to free you."

He looked up then, the shock just beginning to course through his system. "But it is someone from that sector, correct?"

She shrugged.

Sayer regarded her warily. Someone from the defense branch had asked this woman to free him. She asked him to identify Yusei, but other than that, there was nothing else he could go off of. What was this person's game anyways? What were they trying to accomplish? Was it someone he knew? Was it someone from the Arcadia Movement, who'd actually came out on top and was trying to repay Sayer?

No, that couldn't be. According to the news reports, the Arcadia Movement didn't have any members left, and financial assistance had gotten so low the organization was practically nonexistent. At best, it was at the mercy of other politicians who had just as much a right to it as Sayer did. And ever since Goodwin disappeared, the officials Sayer blackmailed were all swept out of office, replaced by unblemished goody-toe shoes with absolutely nothing to do with their free time.

Still, Ms. Amrbosine continued on, as if the exchange had never even happened. She opened a drawer just to her left, and pulled out that very same, white folder he'd seen the other day. Carefully, she placed the documents on the surface, and looked up at him, the same photograph dangling from her fingertips. "You're saying this person right here, is Yusei Fudo?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"I am," he stated. "I saw him at the Fortune Cup. If you ask any of the duelists who participated in the tournament, and even Lazar himself, I'm sure they'd give you the same answer."

She scrutinized him for a while, an unreadable expression grazing her features. Finally, she smirked, and set the photograph down. Quietly, she began thumbing through the papers, searching through document after document, the pace too quick for Sayer to see. He stole a quick glance at the men around her, before coming back to her. Immediately, he added, "He isn't in the Movement."

"He is."

"That isn't right," he rectified, knowing full well she had the upper hand. "The Arcadia Movement-"

"-is only for psychic duelists with extraordinary potential," she completed easily, pulling out yet another set of files. "They existed for the sole purpose of taking revenge against everyone who wronged them. In other words, they were your personal soldiers, whom you planned on using to take over the world."

Sayer gritted his teeth. There was no use lying to her; it was clear she knew. If he tried protecting himself now, he'd lose her confidence. She also had the files in front of her, so even if he tried denying it, she's done her homework. He truly was powerless here. "That's right," he admitted.

"Can you tell me who your sponsors were?"

"We had a couple," he answered vaguely. "Some officials I had dirt on. I don't remember their names-"

"Of course you don't," she dismissed. "I don't expect you to."

"Then what're you asking for?"

"Just curious," she replied. "A powerful thing, you know, curiosity. It's what led civilizations time and time again, within this strange, twisted world. And it's the very thing that drives me to this day. You understand, don't you?"

He stared at her for a moment, before nodding, trying to, at the very least, grasp onto what she was saying. "I do."

"Good. Then it's safe for me to say, that I believe it's that same curiosity that led the two of us work together."

He blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You were the leader of the Arcadia Movement," she said calmly, as she leaned back against her seat. "You had dirt on every single politician in the city when Goodwin was still director. And let's not forget, you've got connections to a ah, Mr. Yusei Fudo, was it?"

"Correct. But I still don't see how he has anything to do with the Movement. After all, he's one of the reasons why-"

"-why a certain duelist left. The Black Rose, I take it?"

He fell silent.

"And there it is," Ms. Amrbosine gloated softly, a slow, predatory smile coming onto her face. "The Black Rose, one of your top duelists, was also a young girl, by the name of Akiza Izinski. Somehow, you manipulated her into joining the organization, and took control of her powers, right?"

Sayer narrowed his eyes. "She was in full control-"

"She was but a young child, too naive to see the monster in front of her," she continued, as she stretched out her hand to the empty air. She turned her palm up, as though she were holding a wineglass, one filled with blue and black and every shade in-between. "But then she met a very special someone, and so, she became conflicted. Who did her loyalties lie? With the organization? Or with that someone? A bit cliche, if you ask me."

"What'd you want?" Sayer finally asked.

"To work together."

"Really…"

"But it's true. After all, you're the only lead we've got when it comes to Mr. Fudo. And it seems we can put your powers to use."

Sayer clenched his fists. "How was Yusei Fudo involved?"

She only smiled.

"Ms. Amrbosine-"

"I'd rather not give out that sort of information to strangers."

"You released me from prison, and it was your organization who took care of me these past few days. You also said I was in good hands-"

"Meaning I can also abandon you."

The informal, carefree atmosphere around her vanished almost instantaneously. Sayer could feel the cold envelop around his fingers, with a deep, seated pain boiling through in his stomach. He gasped for air, as his vision coated with red, his vision now only a hazy blur. He tried moving, tried lunging forward toward her desk, if only to steady himself, but even that avoided him. He was left standing there, attempting to claw at his own throat, the searing pain now scorching his entire abdomen. All the while, the very same shadows came around her, her own, dark eyes now pitch black. And yet, she still folded her hands in front of her, as she watched him struggle, mentally, emotionally.

"With one little call, I can erase your appeal," she warned darkly. "I can make the public remember what you did to those children. I can give you back to the Security Bureau, and let them deal with you however they will. I can lock you away in a jail cell, and let you rot, until you're nothing but dust. I can make the world hate you, make you a wanted man, make every single criminal syndicate hunt you down for the remainder of your days. I can feed you to your own demons, Sayer; just say the word, and I'll do it. Remember that."

And just like that, the pain was gone.

He clutched his chest helplessly, heaving heavily against the frost-stricken air. He gazed up at her once more, his pride shattered before his very eyes. No, there wasn't any humiliation, nor embarrassment, and not even shame. It was more frightening than that, more memorable, up to a fault. An emotion he hadn't felt in a long time.

Fear.

"I'll make you a deal," Ms. Amrbosine began, as Sayer held himself steady. "If you cooperate with our organization, we'll provide for you. We'll make sure you live well to the rest of your days, and you won't have to worry about anything ever again."

What was he supposed to do?

Did he dare ask?

But it seemed the woman sensed his question, and answered accordingly. "Sometimes, it'd be just simple interview questions, while other times, simple tasks I'm sure you know how to do. I can assure you that it's nothing dangerous; you are our only lead. And we won't go back on our word when we find more. Do I make myself clear, Sayer?"

Mutely, he nodded.

"Good," she said finally. "I expect you to come in tomorrow morning, at seven. We'll continue as we did tonight."

And with that, the two men escorted Sayer out of the office, and back into the hotel. He refused to eat anything.

* * *

 

"I don't get it."

"I don't either," Yusei replied, as he strolled through the streets, passing by the old, rundown buildings as he did. "You don't just throw some random air conditioner at an old man like that."

Akiza sighed tiredly, rubbing her eyes from the fatigue. She stayed up all night to finish up an assignment for physics. Supposedly, she would've been asleep by one, but since Alexis called and asked her about an essay, sleep avoided her. The only thing Akiza could've done all day was try not to doze off, knowing full well that if she had, Mr. Heitmann would get onto her.

And it was through that experience Akiza decided she needed a break. She was just walking through the new Satellite residential area, a pretty neighborhood that was one devoid of crime. It was incredibly quiet, something Akiza desperately needed for the time being. However, about ten minutes ago, she ran into Yusei, who had gotten annoyed with Crow and Jack's constant bickering. He joined her then, and that was how the two came together for that one, peaceful afternoon.

"Yeah, right," she replied, while fighting back a yawn.

She felt Yusei's deep blue eyes examine her for a while, before coming back to the sidewalk. "School work?" he asked.

"I was helping someone," she answered. "Sorry, go on. So…kid throw the air conditioner, and the old guy wants you to fix it…?"

"I…don't know. He keeps saying he'll get rid of the thing eventually… but never mind that. So, physics?"

She shook her head. "English. A friend wanted me to help her out."

"An essay?"

"Right."

"Did you write the whole paper or something?"

Personally, Akiza didn't know. She had to read the SparkNotes version of Dr. Faustus to Alexis for about an hour or two. Afterwards, the girl started spouting philosophical nonsense about the play over the phone, something Akiza couldn't help but find just a tiny bit irritating. It took almost thirty minutes to get Alexis to actually start writing the paper. And every single time Akiza hung up, there'd always be another call from the blonde, asking where each concept should go, what she should do about a paragraph she didn't want to get rid of, whether or not the essay should be double-spaced, anything at all that came to mind. And by the time morning came, when Alexis was finally finished with the stupid thing, Akiza was brain-dead. What was Alexis doing before all this anyways?

"No," was all she said.

Yusei chuckled playfully. "Liar."

"Half of it," she corrected pathetically. "She probably plagiarized the rest from SparkNotes."

"Hey, at least it's over."

"That's the thing though," Akiza huffed. "She's always waiting to the last minute to do something. Then, when it's time to turn the stupid thing in, she's always begging for my help. Either that, or she just asks some random teacher to extend the deadline for her."

"…Does it work?"

"Yes."

Akiza felt his hand come up to her head then, his fingers lightly touching the tip of her crown. A slight blush came upon her face, though she managed to brush it aside, as she savored the affectionate ruffle. Moments like these were precious to her; it made her heart skip a beat, and let her know that someone was there, always there.

That strange boy came to mind then.

"Akiza?"

She blinked, before turning back to Yusei. "Hmm?"

"Didn't you hear me?"

She paused for a moment. After a while, a deep, scarlet flush replaced the light, adorable one she had from before. "S-sorry," she managed. "What'd you-?"

"I said she reminded me of Jack."

Her eyes widened. "O-oh."

He placed his hand back to his side, much to her disappointment. "Well, Jack does try, and he's a hard worker. Just, not in the most convenient of ways."

"Huh. So, how's the engine? Is it, you know, working?"

"I…guess?"

The conversation kept on for sometime, never once bothering to lapse into awkward silence. As they passed the modern homes, Akiza couldn't help but stare at the white picket fences erected for the complexes, at the clean cut lawns that seemed to draw her attention everywhere at once. The houses were all similar in a way, though the design was different; for one thing, they seemed to share the same builders, the same designers, anything at all that was, at the very least, similar. And the way everyone moved in, with their painted on smiles and the like, was a bit eerie. Still, she could see a few moving trucks here and there, the neighbors gathered around to celebrate their newest additions. Apparently, what was creepy for her was normal for everyone else.

Again, the boy appeared before her.

She closed her eyes, and concentrated on Yusei's words then.

As soon as she opened her eyes, he was gone.

She could only smile, as she listened to Yusei recount the odd requests his customers had given him. Yes, she asked him about Jack, who still couldn't hold down a job, as well as Crow, who was doing just fine on his own. And he asked her about school, how Luna and Leo were doing, both of which were holding steady in their classes. He asked her about her friends, if she was getting along with everyone there, and all she told him was a simple, "Yes."

Over and over again, the boy kept coming up in her mind, and each time, she dismissed him. And yet, despite all that, Akiza knew there was something familiar about the boy. A haunting recognition, however vague it may seem, that lingered there, in the back of her mind, waiting for her to remember it.

Yes, she could remember him.

She should remember him

But for some reason, she didn't.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Yusei watched the screen aimlessly, one hand against his cheek, the other on his lap, as he tried paying attention to whatever program was on. But then, it was hard to do that, considering the fact Leo kept changing the channel every ten seconds.

The boy was incredibly hyper today, despite the fact he failed most his tests, and somehow lost all his duels. Then again, the setbacks weren't really on his mind, as he went on and on about the latest super heroes he heard about, or the newest additions to the pro-leagues. His bluish green ponytail kept bouncing everywhere as he relayed his excitement, his bright, golden eyes searching through the commercials to see if his idols were getting the respect they deserve. Meanwhile, his sister and fellow twin, Luna, simply chided him pathetically, endeavoring to calm him down, all the while listening intently to whichever program was on.

Tonight, he was at their manor, with Jack and Crow. Since their parents were still out, and they could invite whomever they wanted to as long as they weren't marked (which was a bit of a moot point), they decidedly asked the guys to come; Akiza couldn't make it because she had to help someone in class with fusions. Naturally, Jack remained unimpressed by their large penthouse, while Crow gawked over their wealth, though he somehow managed to keep to himself. As of now, Yusei had no idea where the two were; if he had to guess, Crow was in the kitchen, looking over the refrigerator, his motherly instincts taking over, while Jack was in the bathroom, trying to, once again, impress Leo with whatever fabulous stunt he was going to pull.

He closed his eyes then, the fatigue wearing him down. Maybe Crow did have a point; he hadn't had any sleep for the past few days. If he didn't rest soon, the deprivation will start affecting his dueling, or driving, whichever came first. What good was the new engine if he couldn't even use it?

The bodies appeared before him.

And at an instant, he was awake.

It's strange; he'd been like this for a while now. Whenever he tried sleeping, or resting, for that matter, the corpses would simply reappear again, right in front of him. At first, he couldn't bear to face them. He just kept telling himself that it was just some nightmare that'd go away, some delusion that'd soon disappear on its own. No, he wasn't psychotic, and he certainly wasn't mentally ill, or at least, he didn't think so. He couldn't really afford a doctor to examine him either.

But after a while, he started getting used to seeing their faces. Initially, he couldn't handle all the blood and gore and glassy eyes, so he contented himself with seeing their silhouettes. He could manage making out their hazy shadows in the midst of that darkness, the dried crimson splattered all over the floor. Then, when a few more days passed, he started peering down at their faces. That disgusted, revolting pain in the pit of his stomach ceased to bother him, and it was then did he see the corpses.

Children.

"Yusei!" Leo screamed.

He jolted up. He scanned the room automatically, then shot a tired smile at the boy. Before he could say anything, Leo rushed over, the remote in hand, and pointed to the TV. "Look! Look look look! It's Rob Cole!"

Luna stared at her brother, an annoyed frown plastered on her face. "Leo, he doesn't even know who that is."

"Sure he does! Everyone at school does!"

"Yusei doesn't go to our school, remember?"

Yusei stared at them, then looked up at the TV screen. That's right; Jack was just talking about this the other day. Apparently, it was this really big premiere, and everyone who was anyone had to go to in order to be respected, whether that be by duelists, or actresses, or even just a kid, who admired the grandiose world around them. As far as Yusei knew, no one in Neo Domino missed an event like this.

Huh, it looks like people were actually expecting him to attend.

"Hey Yusei," Leo suddenly piped. "Why aren't you there with everyone else?"

"I'm a little tired," he said easily. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Crow coming from the kitchen, the smell of ramen diffusing through the air. "Besides, it's not my kind of thing."

"Are you kidding?!" he burst. "Rob Cole's there! With everyone else! And you're, like, the King of Turbo Dueling. You know what? Luna and I will help you get there. It's fine; you can just go like that."

"Leo, it's already started," Luna murmured embarrassingly. "Besides, we invited him here, remember?"

Yusei closed his eyes once again, the children slowly coming back to him as they always do. This time, he wasn't going to look away; he just had to sit here for a while, and wait until he fell asleep. They'll be gone by the time he woke up; they always did.

One minute passed.

Then two.

Then three.

And finally, a scream.

His eyes shot open.

He saw Crow standing beside him his eyes wide with shock, his mouth slightly agape. He saw the twins standing there, the humorous atmosphere around them vanishing in a split second. All three were frozen in place, trying to make sense of whatever was going on in front of them. And soon, Yusei followed their gazes.

There was a body on the red carpet.

* * *

 

_Aileen Lincoln, age 35._

The night air calmly came around her, the very essence of sophistication embedded within the crowds gathered outside the glass buildings. The clear glass reflected the harvest moonlight, giving the party a more enchanting appearance, as one by one, the reporters arrived, ready for their stories. The bright, white-hot spotlights filled the darkness with artificial light, the loud raucous of voices replacing the normally empty void night brings. White poster boards detailed the celebrities showing up at the shoot, as well as upcoming movies all ready for their debut.

_Fawn Misserson, age 42._

Glamorous celebrities gathered around the red carpets, some smiling amiably at one another, others with tension flying between each other, and even still, old acquaintances no one had seen for the longest time. Velvet dresses and tuxedos contrasted lovingly with each other, creating a shimmering paradise street urchins wouldn't dare come to. Friendships and rivalries were laid out for the reporters to see, drama already enveloping around the crowds.

_Shamsul Thomas, age 66._

Angela stared at her targets, all of whom were sashaying towards their adoring fans, adoringly stepping on the red carpet as they did so. Recent idols started posing for the cameras, while the others silently moved along, answering certain questions as they did, all the while avoiding interrogations from other more unsavory fans. Reporters clung to the railing, trying to shove their microphones into their faces, risking everything from ruining their own, stunning outfits, to getting sued. Though they appeared to be little more than rabid animals, in actuality, Angela was about to join them. She gripped her own microphone tightly, took a deep breath, and proceeded to pry her colleagues out of her way, when she tripped over her own dress.

_Samuel Adams, age 33._

She barely managed to catch herself. She paused for a moment, then kept on with her task, the all so clearly in view. She smoothed out her red dress, and looked out at the fans again, spotting so many familiar faces nearby. She squinted her eyes, trying to catch yet another glimpse of the celebrities, the enthusiastic atmosphere seemingly draped around her in all its finery.

_Vlad Dalca, age 28._

She held herself then, as she started waving her hand around. Bright flashes encircled around her, her own cameraman endeavoring to get a few pictures for tomorrow's issue. "Over here!" she shouted fanatically.

_Yuqi Jin, age 53._

There was one young model who looked at Angela's way, and smiled. She was wearing a light blue dress, one with white ruffles all over the hems. Two pink ribbons decorated the sides of her head, with a single, white rose toward the back to complete the look. She also had such a cute, cherubic face; blond-haired, blue-eyed, with full pink lips, something that made Angela wonder if the girl really was innocent as she seemed. So the woman straightened herself, and started walking toward her, determined to squeeze a story out of the young girl.

_Laurel Blackwell, age 41._

She froze.

"Ma'am?"

Angela snapped awake, as she stared down at the girl.

_Fatima Islam, age 36._

The youngest model in the season; a child prodigy who would be debuting in an upcoming film; a famous star who could easily claim to be on of the most powerful people in the world. She could influence practically anyone, and though no one dared cover her personal life, Angela made sure she would've.

_Thuy Vo, age 72._

But she couldn't say anything.

_Tin Ngo, age 58._

Her lips were starting to get dry.

The young girl tugged at her wrist. "Ma'am?" she called out again. "Are you okay? Hey, you wanna come with me for a sec?"

Angela looked up.

_Cynthia Johnson, age 47._

There was another model standing in front of her. A dark skinned, raven-haired beauty, whose elegant, emerald dress tightly fitted around her delicate body. It seemed she was inviting the reporter too, to come with the rest of the models for a bit.

_Jerald Smith, age 55._

For some reason, Angela started shaking her head.

_Reginald Feng, age 49._

And yet still, the model kept calling out to her.

_Stephan Nickelson, age 56._

Rosenwald Joensen, age 31.

_Arnold Cross, age 43._

_Cardiac arrest._

_Cardiac arrest._

_Cardiac arrest._

There was a loud crash from up above.

As the reporters scrambled out of the way, the models screaming out in horror, their agents shoving them back into their cars, Angela remained where she was, her mind replaying the victims' names over and over and over again. Pictures upon pictures kept showing up in her eyes, as she stared at the chaos around her, the pitiful shouts, the cries, the tears streaming for a stranger no one even knew. Angela stared down at the girl, who had been swept away from her then, no doubt by a protective fan, however perverted they might've been. She stared ahead, at the models, at the people she was supposed to interview, at her fellow peers, who were now racing away from the scene altogether.

She stared at the body, with the names of the victims racing through her brain.

* * *

 

Jaden sprawled out the articles onto the white carpet, his fingers lingering near the photos. Dozens of smiles gazed up at him, the innocence upon their faces so clear he couldn't help but wonder if they were still alive somewhere, supposedly held hostage by a madman. The biographies of each of the victims lay beneath the photos, along with whatever notes Ms. Raines managed to make before she stopped caring. He squinted at her delicate handwriting for a while, before shrugging and brushing it aside, making room for the plentiful ideas he was ready to write down.

Next to him was Alexis, who scanned over the articles with wide, curious eyes. She hugged her legs against her chest, as her eyes followed the tiny words from paragraph to paragraph. Sometimes, she'd have a small frown on her lips, while other times, a familiar spark erupted from her stare, a connection that might've helped them with the case. She sat there, hunched over, rereading the text, trying to find the relationship between the murders, aside from the obvious fact they were all powerful politicians.

They were both in Alexis's apartment for the time being. It was small, comfortable, with nothing but soft pink splattered all over the walls. There was an oversized, stuff bear sitting on the pale covers of her bed, a bear that always looked at her with the same, blank stare. The dolls sitting on her bookshelf were also incredibly eerie, their stitched on smiles little more than a distraction to their glassy eyes. Some of the dolls, Jaden had made himself, but for the rest, Alexis bought them on her own. A small, black dollhouse sat in the back of the room, with tiny, paper inhabitants standing there, waiting for their mistress to return.

As far as Jaden could remember, Alexis lived alone. No family, no relations, only a single, large income to keep her financially well-off. The city paid monthly installments to her, from a portion of an inheritance she wouldn't fully receive until she was 21. Though he found the explanation hard to believe, in the end, he decided that he didn't need to know; it was her business, wasn't it? And besides, it wasn't like she was horrible at managing it. She used that money to pay her tuition for Duel Academy, as well as her living expenses. Even when she was recklessly spending it for some cursed doll she saw online, or a creepy storybook she thought would be cool to have, she always had more than enough.

Perhaps that was why he was initially so attracted to her. Like Alexis, Jaden had a large income every month coming in and, like Alexis, the city managed it for him. That the money was a part of a large inheritance, and that he had to wait until he was a certain age to get the rest. No family, no relations, nothing at all to tell him where the money was from, where it'd be going. Who knows? Maybe that's why he hated the government so much.

He sighed then, as he sat back, brushing aside the confusing memory altogether. He picked up one photograph and held it up to Alexis. She stared down at it for a while, before grabbing it with both hands. "He seems familiar."

"Arnold Cross," Jaden explained. "He was one of Goodwin's supporters."

"He was the Director's representative, wasn't he?"

"That's right."

She cocked her head then, before setting the picture down. "No."

"Hmm?"

"It's more than that," she muttered. "I feel like I've seen these people before. Like, I've really seen them in real life. Not just on some TV screen."

Jaden's eye twitched, before returning to the politicians staring up at him. "They were all connected to Goodwin, weren't they?"

"Yeah."

"And it was Goodwin who gave them their positions."

"He was like their boss or something, right?"

He nodded hesitantly. "They didn't have a lot of deep connections with the government in Neo Domino, so they relied on Goodwin for protection. When the Director disappeared, you could guess what'd happened."

"Did they know what they were doing?"

"…I don't think so. For Goodwin to just…leave, and for them to fall out of favor with the city, just like that…"

Alexis nodded understandably, then turned back to the photographs. "They were good politicians though, right? Aside from the drift between the Satellite and Neo Domino-"

"I'm not sure. They probably just went with majority support, I guess."

The two began combing through the files then, trying to find any other connection between the two, aside from Goodwin. So far, wild conspiracy theories kept popping up in Jaden's head, theories only the general public could come up with, theories that, as far as he was concerned, only served to frustrate him more. By now, everyone's come to the same conclusion; the victims' backstories weren't anything special, and though they had their fair share of enemies, that list vanished the moment Goodwin was declared missing. To want to kill a group of people who possessed no power, no influence, who posed no threat whatsoever, was a stupid move, to say the least.

"Lex."

"Right," the blonde answered automatically. "So far, there've been fourteen deaths, all of whom were involved with Goodwin. Since the administration tended to go with majority rules, we don't know if there was actually any corruption whatsoever. And since everyone loved Goodwin, along with the fact that he ran the city efficiently and rooted out said corruption, there isn't a lot to go off on with illegal stuff. Backstories, same. Family and friends, all crying their hearts out."

"That's it?"

"Jay-"

"I know," he whispered quietly, as he scratched the back of his head. He furrowed his eyebrows, regarding the files with the same intensity he had when he took them. He'd already tried the hospitals, but they weren't letting him near their medical records. He hadn't heard anything from Ms. Raines either, but since she was a little too eager to push the case onto him, he could safely say he no longer had a mentor, or an internship, for that matter. Most of the families were too hard to contact, and the ones he did manage to speak with told him to mind his own business.

So of course, that got him absolutely nowhere.

That left the funeral homes, where the bodies were supposedly held. But that was tricky, since everyone was going to be there. It'd be hard to steal a peek at the victims themselves, and even harder to determine how they died. The doctors all say cardiac arrest, and, as of now, Jaden was starting to believe that.

But the connections were so uncanny…

"Jaden?"

He looked up. "Hmm?"

There she was, talking in his cellphone without the slightest hesitation. She kept nodding, kept doing everything she should, if only to show the people around her that she was actually listening. Jaden was about to dismiss the call completely, and return to analyzing the files, when he felt a small tap on his wrist. When he came back to her, there was a serious frown on Alexis's face.

"Yeah, he's here," she continued, as she cast an uncertain glance toward him. "He was just working on it. You wanna talk with-? Oh. Oh, okay." With that, she snapped the phone shut, and turned to Jaden. "That was Ms. Raines."

He snorted "C'mon, let's get back to this-"

Alexis shook her head, and grabbed his hand. "She really wants you to come in tomorrow."

"I'm not getting her coffee again-"

"She says she wants to work with you on the case," Alexis murmured enthusiastically. "She's got a lot of information she wants to show you too."

"…Really."

"Really!"

"This isn't because I was a total douche." Jaden said aimlessly, as he picked up an article and held it up to its face. Police still haven't been able to find anything new…

"No," Alexis answered calmly, "even though you can be. Ms. Raines wanted you to come in as soon as possible. She thinks she might have some leads for this."

"I should believe her…why?"

"C'mon Jaden. You've wanted this case for like…forever! Now you're getting a chance to solve it with a top reporter! Stop being such a pussy."

He only stared at her.

"What?"

"Our 'top reporter' is a woman who has absolutely no idea what she's doing when it comes to real life."

"So?"

"We're doing just fine on our own."

"We need someone!" Alexis countered, as she threw both her arms around his neck, messing up the neat piles Jaden had made in for the last ten minutes. "No one's gonna listen to a couple of teenagers!"

"That's their problem," he replied stubbornly, as he turned away from her.

"Even if it's Ms. Raines, we still have to take it! And besides, having her is better than having nothing, right?"

Though Jaden couldn't bring himself to admit it, he agreed.

Nor could he admit the fact that, at the very least, Ms. Raines was an adult.

 


	7. Chapter 7

"I want you to look at these photographs Sayer," Ms. Amrbosine said softly, as she slid the pictures toward the man. He leaned over tiredly, taking only a few seconds to skim over the photos, before straightening himself, and calling out their names. Dark shadows nestled underneath his eyes, along with age-old wrinkles he hadn't known had existed. As he scanned over the photographs, the last of the names falling from his lips, he couldn't help but close his eyes then.

"Right," she said demurely, forcing him to look at her once more. "And I take it you know these men from somewhere…?"

"The Arcadia Movement's sponsors," he answered, as he remembered the cruel gleam her icy pupils bestowed upon him just hours before. He fought the urge to tremble, and continued on with his emotionless facade; as of this point, it was the only thing he could do. Opportunities for advancement might come up once in a while, but until then, this was all there was to it. "Under Goodwin's encouragement, they supported the Movement with money, power, and influence."

"Ah." She stole a glance at the politicians smiling faces, before removing them from the table altogether and stuffing them back in that same, white envelop. "Can you tell me what some of them did? You know, what they were capable of?"

"What'd you mean?"

"How deep were their connections?"

He thought for a moment, recalling the same, complex lies he told nearly everyone, the lies he refused to touch, for fear he might accidentally unravel them. He then regarded Ms. Amrbosine evenly. "Very deep. There wasn't a single they couldn't do, not a single being they couldn't conquer. As far as I knew, they expanded all over the city, and into other countries as well, though I'm not sure where.

"As long as they were under Goodwin, of course."

"That's right."

She huffed, before returning to the remaining files on her desk. "They weren't under the Director's supervision."

Sayer stared at her incredulously, the doubts immediately swarming back into his mind. "There was no one else who could control them, aside from me," he explained. "Or Goodwin, for that matter. Though he was a liar and a cheat, he was certainly good at it. HIs ability to manipulate people to his own benefit came in handy."

"As long as they were being compensated, right?"

"Isn't that how it works?"

"But that's just it," Ms. Amrbosine stated confidently. "Although these officials were working for Goodwin, not a single record showed them gaining any benefit from him. Remember, Goodwin was the head of the Security Bureau, and though he did have some political influence, in the end it wasn't enough to sabotage any politician. In fact, in the face of everyone here, it seems he was the most powerless."

Sayer narrowed his eyes. "But he was your Director, wasn't he? And besides, he was popular with the people..."

"In the eyes of higher powers, his popularity didn't matter. If anything, those powers could take control of the entire city if they wanted to, with or without the people. He was but a small pawn in the grand scheme of things. Just because he was the Director didn't mean he knew everything. For example, the fact that the Crimson Dragon would be in the hands of a bunch of misfits, or us, for the matter."

Sayer examined her, trying to find the slightest hints that she might've been lying. Though he failed over and over again, he still kept up with his assumptions, and continued. "And who might you be?"

She smiled. "No one, and everyone. In a way, just as Director Goodwin, you could also say we've fallen."

Sayer's lips parted. Again, he looked down at the papers. He tried scanning through their contents, tried doing everything he could to prove his past paranoia right. He kept replaying the moments between he and Goodwin over and over again, finding even the slightest inconsistencies between Ms. Amrbosine's story and his own. But there were none, so he could only stand there, dumbfounded. "What?"

"The city was so focused on Goodwin, simply because of the Satellite, or rather, what used to be the Satellite," Ms. Amrbosine replied. "People didn't feel safe, so naturally, they turned to the police for security. Eventually, Neo Domino was taken over by the Public Safety Bureau, and soon, all eyes were on Goodwin. In spite of the fact that everyone depended on his leadership, he had practically no influence on the political battlefield. He paled in comparison to other people; for example, the Black Rose's father, the senator."

Sayer glowered at her. "I've already thought of that."

"What?" she pressed, as she leaned back in her seat. "Were you planning on using the Black Rose to get in touch with her father? To get even more support for the Arcadia Movement? Spare me the details; I already know."

"What're you-?"

"Even with the senator's help, you wouldn't have gotten anywhere. You could say the reason why you're still standing, is because the senator _chose_ not to do anything to you. If he wanted to, not only could he destroy the entire Arcadia Movement, but he could also place you under arrest for "kidnapping" his daughter."

"Akiza came on her own-"

"And that alone would make you look bad," she continued, ignoring his glare. "And since the senator had a majority of the city on his side, along with his reputable image, I don't think you could do anything about it. No one would believe you; everyone would just say that they were lying. Perhaps the only reason Senator Izinski chose not to press charges was because he didn't want to alienate his precious daughter, anymore than he already had."

Sayer clenched his fists. This…woman…was just sitting here, undermining him. She was breaking open scandals only Sayer should know about, saying choice words that even doubted his own credibility. If anything, probably the only reason why she got him out of prison to begin with, was to mock him. "Then why am I here?" he asked finally.

"To get to Yusei Fudo."

"I've absolutely no idea-"

"You really are impatient, aren't you?" Ms. Amrbosine asked suddenly. "No wonder why you lost control of the organization. If anything, you should be thanking the Dark Signers for taking you down when they did. They saved you from the embarrassment from losing your entire club in one. Little. Stroke."

"Amrbosine-"

"Anyways," she interrupted, "I'm sure you've heard the news right?"

He paused for a moment, before nodding reluctantly. "That most of everyone on that list is dead, correct?"

"Correct. The reason why I ask you is because your sponsors are all connected to one single source. A political source, I can assure you that Goodwin isn't it."

Sayer narrowed his eyes. "Does it matter where the money came from?"

"Yes," she murmured quietly. "It does. It's that same higher power that managed to make Goodwin his puppet."

His lips parted, as the silence came around between the two. That same, blank expression grazed her face, all the while his frustration built up in his thoughts, trying to decipher it. Again, he stole a glance at Yusei's photograph.

Then, at that one, single moment, he froze.

"No," was all he said.

"We have proof-"

"That _Satellite_ ," he sneered, "doesn't even have the means to get out of his own filth. How could he support an entire organization, when he couldn't avoid Sector Security? If this is a joke, Ms. Amrbosine-"

"It's not."

"It isn't funny."

Her eyes darkened, and immediately, Sayer closed his mouth. She regarded him for a while, before sitting up. "Normally, yes, that would be the case. Yusei Fudo was just an orphan, after all, who had no real parents, no real family. Though he was a talented duelist and engineer, he had a hard life, with only brief, fickle friends to rely on. Even now, after he's won the Fortune Cup, after he's defeated the Dark signers, he's still struggling to make ends meet. Well, along with Jack Atlas, of course."

"If you know that much, then why-?"

"When your organization first started, Sayer, we've kept a close eye on you," she stated quietly, as she placed her hands neatly on her lap. "From what we could understand, the Arcadia Movement has always been small, a close-knit group with relatively little standing in the real world. According to your records, when Akiza Izinski joined, suddenly, you gained a huge influx of support for your organization. You were able to expand nationally, to the point where you could even lobby some of the politicians to help benefit the Movement. The senator, as you know, had nothing to do with your group. And aside from Akiza, no one else in your group exercised enough power to help support your cause."

Sayer folded his arms across his chest. "I don't see how any of that has to do with Yusei."

"As of this point, all our evidence is classified," Ms. Amrbosine said finally. "But even so, I would like for you to do a little assignment for us."

He narrowed his eyes. "Is this 'evidence' really all that?"

"It is."

Sayer tensed, the defining quiet, once again, pouring into the room. "And what will you do, after I finish your dirty work?"

"That depends on your results."

He fought down a scowl. "What am I supposed to do?"

The frown instantly faded from her face, the seriousness replaced by a slow, merciless smile, one devoid of any emotion or thought. "We've secured your deck from the station," she explained. "Use it to confront Mr. Fudo. Understand?"

Sayer stared at her, the memories replaying in his mind. If it wasn't for Yusei, Akiza probably would never have left the Arcadia Movement. Though he might not have been able to secure the senator's cooperation, at the very least he could've used her to build up his psychic army. He could've used it to take over the world, from politics, to economics, to warfare; in society, outcasts would reign supreme, and people would've treated the monsters they've so hated with fear. There wouldn't have been any problem at all, if not for the fact that that one little Satellite had to come in and ruin everything.

But there were more people on his list to blame, the dormant grudges he held from prison only beginning to resurface. There were the Dark Signers, who tore him down the moment he tried fighting back. There were his former members, who chose to abandon him the moment he was arrested. There were the people who mocked and tormented him, for having the special powers everyone else wanted. He could feel himself swell with pride, as he imagined everyone who'd ever wronged him bowing before him, begging for forgiveness, asking him to spare them, though their efforts were in vain.

Yet even then, he didn't allow his emotions to take over.

His eyes flickered to Ms. Amrbosine, who waited for his answer. What was this woman's game anyways? That Goodwin had little to do with the city, that the politicians he blackmailed were actually taking orders from a higher power? That Yusei had been involved with the Arcadia Movement from the start? A Satellite, who couldn't even afford to have even the most wasted future in Neo Domino? What'd her organization want with Yusei anyways, and, how did Sayer, of all people, fit into it? What was she using him for? What result did she want from him?

Despite all that, one detail stuck out, amongst all others. "You're right," he said. "When Akiza joined, we started getting an increase in revenue."

She nodded. "That's right."

"And it had something to do with Yusei, correct?"

"Yes."

"How then?" he pressed. "Before the Fortune Cup, Akiza never knew Yusei. That much I know."

"Well, like I said. We've evidence, but we just need you to confirm one little thing for us."

"And you can't share any of the evidence with me?"

"That's right."

His eyes flickered down to that white envelop. "And why is that?"

"Clearly, you've no idea how much of a target you've become," Ms. Amrbosine answered saccharinely. "The less you know, the better off you'd be."

He snorted. "Some logic."

"You've used the same thinking with the Black Rose."

He stared at her for the longest time, endeavoring to reveal whatever hidden meanings were behind that single sentence. When he failed, he simply closed his eyes, and resigned to his task. "So," he began, "do you want me to duel him?"

"No; you'd make too much of a scene."

"Then what-?"

"Get him alone, then attack," she ordered. "When you've seen what you've seen, I want you to come back, and tell me."

"And what exactly am I supposed to see?"

"Believe me, you'll know."

He bit his lip, as he began seeing through the game, bit by bit. "You don't want the Black Rose to find out, do you?"

"My, you learn fast."

* * *

 

The busy stores kept calling in more and more customers, as the stream of bodies flowed from one business to the next. Light, velvet curtains pooled out from store windows, and bright, colorful banners flowed throughout the air, desperately trying to get the attention of the tens of thousands of people here. The skylights up ahead gave way to the same warm air Akiza had grown so very comfortable with. The distant cafes off to the side gave off their pleasant aromas, and for a moment, she was tempted to walk over there, sit down, and enjoy something, anything. though in the end, she fought off the sweet illusion. Just below, she could see the amber skating rink, the balconies doing little to hide the playful embarrassment on the skaters' faces as they fell. She stared at them for a bit, before turning back to the dull activity just before her.

Both arms were comfortably at her side, motionlessly in place, as she moved up in the line, her bangs sweeping across her cheek. Carefully, she peeked out at the people standing in front of her, and the people behind, before finally settling back in her place. She looked up at the ceiling then, a bored expression so very evident on her face. Dull lights sparked her golden orbs, and the only time it cleared, was when the line started to move. She kept clenching and unclenching her fists, if only to feel the tension her black gloves held along the lines of her palms, but of course, not even that could assuage her boredom.

Just yesterday, her mother called. She told Akiza that she and her father will be back a bit late tonight, but she did manage to order Chinese for dinner tonight. The problem was that there was only one Chinese restaurant open at the time, and since they don't do deliveries, Akiza had to get it herself. Though Akiza was sure it'd be delicious, she didn't understand why they couldn't just order someplace else. Her mother only laughed at the excuse, telling her daughter it was "simply because."

She heaved a heavy, frustrated sigh, as the line moved on. Her thoughts began wandering once more, as she recalled the strangeness the past few weeks left her.

Just a few days ago, that boy had disappeared. Whenever she slept, or went anywhere, he was always there, right beside her. Sometimes, he'd be waiting for her patiently, with those wide, dead holes of his. Other times, he'd be facing away from her, staring at a wall, or the floor, or the roof, or even an object that held absolutely no significance. Wherever she went, he did too, his footsteps echoing throughout her head. She didn't dare tell anyone else about him, knowing full well she'd sound crazy if she did. So she was careful not to let herself notice him for too long, totally brushing aside his existence as she kept on with her life.

Funny, how weird everything feels when things become normal again.

All the while, neither Jaden nor Alexis were returning her calls. Though Akiza could understand the two working on Jaden's internship (which, of course, she didn't), it was as if they were suddenly just too busy. On the other hand, the guys were preparing for the WRGP, and along with the fact that Leo and Luna were helping them prepare, she was just…alone. It didn't feel like anyone was avoiding her, or at least, she hoped not. But it was just a bit too quiet at her mansion. It didn't feel right to simply intrude into other peoples' business, especially Yusei's, and as of right now, school had always come first.

And yet, as she stared out at the faces around her, she couldn't help but feel like she'd missed something. Still, she knew she had to take her mind off of the notion. So she closed her eyes, and listened to the aimless words floating around her.

That's right; apparently, there'd been another death, a suicide this time, by someone who had never once been depressed. Yes, he died. No, they didn't think he was pushed off the balcony; he just fell. Maybe it was just an accident; maybe he got curious, and decided to look at the premiere from way up there. No, there wasn't anyone else with him; the cameras caught him walking in the building alone. Yeah, a family, a wife and three children. The wife will be fine on her own.

While this was happening, other conversations took place, the ones involving the recent murders. Once more, Akiza flickered her eyes towards those people, before turning away, the recognition flooding her face. Almost every official in Neo Domino was eliminated. The only connection was Goodwin, but why? What was the reason for it? Goodwin disappeared, didn't he, so what use was it to target the lackeys? Revenge, maybe? A little payback for everything those idiots did to the city? Anarchists?

And immediately, Akiza thought of Jaden.

She laughed softly at the though. Well, whoever it was, Akiza didn't really have much to do with it. As long as her own father was okay, nothing else mattered. Yes, it was sad those officials died, and yes, she hoped Mina and Trudge could catch the culprits, but in the end, it wasn't really her job. Besides, if she went up to the families right now, and told them how sorry she was, what good would it do? They'd probably just scream out her, and scream that she should just butt out. At the very least, that's what Akiza would do.

There was a light tap on her shoulder then.

Carefully, she turned around, and found a man standing there, with a pleasant smile on his face. With simplistic ease, she returned it. "Hi," she said.

"Sorry…but you're Akiza, right?"

"That's me."

"Akiza…from the Fortune Cup?"

"Right."

The man stared at her for a while. Before long, his eyes widened a bit, the smile growing wider and wider with each passing second. "W-wow," he managed. "That's…that's amazing. I mean, the way you dueled, and you had that guy on the ropes…! Seriously, I was pissed when you lost, but you know…you're just a really good duelist and…!"

Akiza nodded simply, as she moved up the line another inch. Huh; the cashier was still a long ways off. Did she remember to bring the receipt? "Thanks."

"Just…just thanks? Are you kidding?" the man pressed, causing her to turn back. "You were, like, awesome! Hey, can you do me a favor? Don't worry; you won't get out of line."

Akiza paused for a moment, trying to take in the man's sudden interest. "Sure," she finally said.

"Oh cool! Okay, so here's the thing; me and my friends are really into gardening, and since you use a plant-type deck, I was wondering if you could give me some advice on roses."

Sounded simple enough. "Okay."

"Right. So, there's this rose we can't seem to get rid of, a Christmas rose, the kind you see during the holidays."

She blinked. "Why're you trying to get rid of it? It's pretty enough as it is."

"Supposedly. But the thing is…we only want roses. The Christmas rose isn't really a rose, you know? And though it might not have thorns, it's actually really poisonous, and we'd like to remove it as soon as possible."

"Well, I don't see why not," Akiza answered easily, as she moved yet another inch ahead. "If you have gloves, you can always yank it out."

"It's that easy?"

"Well yeah," she admitted sheepishly. "Still, I don't know why you'd need my help for it. You seem like you know what you're doing already, so…"

"But a rose is a rose, after all."

She stopped, then turned to stare up at him. "Yes," she agreed. "A rose is a rose."

"And for that stupid faker," he stated confidently, "all you have to do is yank it out."

Just then, she heard a loud explosion from the restaurant.

And along with it, terrified screams as bullets started reigning down.

 


End file.
